1 dead, father and 2 children injured in house fire on city’s east side

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — One man has died and a father and his two young children were injured after a fire broke out in a home on the city’s east side, according to fire officials.

Indianapolis Fire Department Battalion Chief Rita Reith said a fire was reported in a home in the 600 block of North Chester just after 3 a.m. Saturday.

When fire crews arrived they found a single-story home with fire and smoke showing. Crews got water on the fire and it was marked under control about 15 minutes later.

Authorities say a 30-year-old man was transported to Eskenazi Hospital in critical condition and died a short time later. Another man, 31, and his two young children, a 7-year-old girl and a 4-year-old boy, were taken to nearby hospitals to be treated for injuries sustained in the fire. The girl was listed in critical condition and the boy was considered to be in serious condition. The father was listed in stable condition and being treated for possible smoke inhalation.

Two dogs and one cat were also found uninjured in the home.

Neighbors Bryan Davis and Baili Scheiber told authorities they smelled smoke for about an hour before they noticed black smoke down the street. Davis was able to kick in the locked front door of the home on fire and get inside. He told fire crews black smoke in the home almost immediately choked him. Scheiber also crawled into the home behind Davis. The pair was able to find the two children in the front room and bring them outside.

Another unidentified neighbor kicked in the locked back door of the home. Reith said the father of the children was able to get out of the home, but it’s unclear if he did so on his own or if the unidentified neighbor helped him.

The 30-year-old man, who has not been identified, was found unconscious inside. He was later pronounced dead.

Investigators are working to determine what caused the fire. Crews report no working smoke alarms were found on the property.